Snow-removal apparatus



D. K. WARNER. SNOW REMOVAL APPARATUS;

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. 1915.

1,327,645, Patented J an. 13, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEEI I 1 IIIIIIHIIIIIIlll llllllmm .FIGQ 22 IN 1/ EN TOR.

AVIITTORNEY D. K. WARNER.

SNOW REMOVAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.9, 1915.

1,327,645, Patented Jan. 13, 1920. I

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I8 3 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY D. K. WARNER. snow REMOVAL Ammu's. APPLICAYTION FILED APILQ. I915- 1',327,645, Patehtea Jams, 1920.

FIGJI.

"Wm 517ml; M 1 W L 9? ATTORNEY D. K. WARNER.

SNOW REMOVAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.9. 1915.

1,327,645 1 Patented J an. 13, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

FIG. 9

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY DOUGLAS K. WARNER, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

SNOW-REMOVAL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

Application filed April 9, 1915. Serial No. 20,215.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DoUeLAs K. IVARNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snow- Removal Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and concise description.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in snow removal apparatus and is more specifically directed to an apparatus for this purpose, which will be especially adaptable to the requirements of street railways and other public carriers.

Many attempts have been made to devise an efficient snow removal apparatus, which would be especially applicable to the re quirements of traction companies operating in the streets of large cities, where the traffic conditions make it necessary to clean the streets and railway lines with despatch and in an economical manner. However, so far as is known, none of these efforts have proven successful by reason of the fact that the proper means were not provided to admit of the removal of the snow without seriously impeding or interrupting traflic and without subjecting the traction companies or those taking care of the snow removal to a considerable expense.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a snow removal apparatus, which may be readily employed by power operated traction companies, which will be economical in operation, which will be efficient in service, and which will be so con structed that when the apparatus is not in use the various parts thereof may be readily disassembled for storage purposes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a snow removal apparatus, embodying the characteristics heretofore recited, wherein the operating parts are arranged for adjustment to suit difierent conditions of use and also to enable certain projecting parts to be moved to different positions to permit the passing of other vehicles so that trafiic is not obstructed when the apparatus is in use.

Mv invention further contemplates in conjunction with the features enumerated and the advantages set forth, a means whereby in the operation ofmy snow removal apparatus, the snow removed from the road bed will be automatically transferred or dumped upon a carrier, the carrier being adjustably coupled to the snow removal apparatus, so that the snow discharged from the removal apparatus into the carrier will be distributed upon the latter to insure a full load.

My invention is also directed to a snow removal apparatus, which may be propelled and operated by its own power, or through power from other sources, which is adapted to operate on street car or other rails or which may be provided with the ordinary vehicle traction wheels to render it capable of employment under any and all conditions where an apparatus of this character may be used.

In order to afford a clear and comprehensive understanding of my invention, I have shown certain specific embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings, but I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the details of structure of these embodiments nor to the particular arrangement of parts therein shown, reserving unto myself the full range of equivalents to which I would be entitled under-the spirit and scope of my invention in its broadest aspect.

I shall now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings and then point out more specifically, the essential elements of novelty therein in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a top plan view of one of the preferred forms of my invention as applied to railway use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, illustrating the method of mounting the plow for disconnection and the conveyor cooperating therewith.

Fig. 5 is a detail showing a method of auto matically operating the plow shown in Fig. 1 to clear obstructions in the road bed.

Fig. 6 is a detail showing the driving mechanism for one of the conveyors of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

Fig. 7 illustrates another form of plow and the mounting therefor, which may be used in connection with my apparatus.

8 is another form of my invention, wherein the snow removal apparatus is adapted to be towed along the roadway by a flat car or the like to receive the snow discharged from the apparatus,

Fig. 9 is a side'elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

Fig. 11 is atop plan view of another embodiment of my invention adapted for the particular requirements of steam railway use, and

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 11.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in which like characters of reference are employed to designate similar parts throughout the several views, 7 represents the longitudinal or side bars of the supporting frame, which are mounted on the usual ear trucks 8 running on the rails 9. At the forward end of the frame, I provide a cab 10 for the engineer or operator of my improved snow removalapparatus. This cab also contains the means for electrically or otherwise controlling the operation and propulsion of the apparatus, any suitable mechanism and source of power being provided for this purpose.

Mounted upon the frame of the apparatus rearwardly of the cab 10 is a supporting frame 11 preferably constructed, as shown, for the conveyer 12 and the mechanism for operating the same. The conveyer may be driven in'any suitable manner, the forward roller having bearings in the elongated slotted arms 16 and 17 of the frame 11, for the purposes which will be hereinafter more clearly explained. Positioned forwardly of a the lower end of the conveyer 12 is a plow 18, which may be ofany suitable configuration and which, is supported on an arm 19 swiveling upon a depending bracket 20 secured to the underside of the contiguous frame member 7. At the top of the plow l8 and projecting rearwardly therefrom, I provide an. apron 21 hinged to the plow, the free end of this apron lightly. bearing upon the upper surface of the conveyer 12, so that as the apparatus moves forwardly and the plow picks up the snow, it will be impossible for. it to fall back on to, theroad bedin transit. between theplow share and theconveyer 12.

Inclined downwardly from the. rear of the plow 18 is, a. plate. 22, having a, guideway formed. thereon for the :rollers- 23 carried by the arms 24-. connected to the. ends of the shaft 25 of the conveyer roller 15. The reference character 26 designates the link. also eweight.-l 'eingl adapted, to:= he -functionedte;

raise the forward end of the conveyer 12 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The numeral 31 represents a rod pivotally connected to the rear of the plow 18 and adapted to slide within the bracket 32, secured to the underside of the frame of the apparatus 7, the free end of the rod normally lying, adjacent to the yieldable arm 33, supported by the bracket 35 upon the underside of the frame of the apparatus. Positioned between the free end of the arm 33 and the bracket 34, fixed beneath the car is a spring 41, the extremity of the arm 33 being formed with a seat therefor to which the wire 36 traveling on the pulley 37 is connected at one end, this wire traveling beneath the frame of the apparatus and up through the supporting frame 11'to a latch 30 or other suitable means for releasing the weight 30, as hereinafter set forth. From the construction thus far described, it will be manifest that upon the plow share 18 coming in contact with an obstruction, such as a rock or stone, the force of the impact will cause the plow to swivel on its support 20, whereby the pin 38 will slide rearwardly out of its guide slot 39 carried by the arm 40. This movement of the plow also operates to move the rod 31 rearwardly into engagement with the yieldable arm 33, which is forced upwardly against the tension of the expansion spring 41 and exerts a pull on the wire 36 which functions the latch 30 to release the weight 30. Coincidentally with the rearward movement of the plow 18, as just described, the rollers 23.,carried by the forward end of the conveyer 12 will ride upwardly on the guide plate 22, which will give the forward end of the. conveyer 12 a sufficient upward impetus to enable the weight 30 to function and draw the conveyer to: its upward limit of movement within the slotted arms 16 and 17 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. At the. upward or rear end of the con.- veyer 12, I provide a downwardl inclined apron 42, which, commimicates with a conveyer 4:3 mounted transversely of the, apparatus, andgemptyingq; on to. a movable platform, consisting. ofrthe-sections 4:4. and 15, travelingin opposite directions, guard .plates 46., 4:7 and". 18 being. provided. at the, ends of thegmovingt sectionsofrthe platform to-pre+ vent snow falling therethrough; This. platform is preferably formed. with a rim. 49, having a central Op ning provided with .a discharge chute 50. This chute. is'hinged to the platform and normally forms a closure forthe' discharge. butlet, as. shown in Figs. 1, 2, and. 3, :theposition ofthe chute when in discharging. position being shown in dottedzlinesin Fig. 1. The. sections 4:4: and .45. of.:the;.receiving platform. may be in in.anyz.suitable;manner, .snch',.;for..:instance,

53 to the carrying car 62.

as by motors 51 and 52, as are shown connected or geared to the conveyers 12 and 43.

The plow 18 is'designed to remove the snow from the surface of the road bed to a depth of approximately three or four inches, the residue being swept up by means of the rotary broom 53 mounted in the housing 54 communicating with the chute 55, leading to the fan 56, which may be driven by a motor 57. As will be noted from Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a pipe 58 is connected to the outlet of the fan by a hinged joint 59, this permitting the movement of the mouth of the pipe 58 relativelv to the receiving platform, so that the snow swept up by the rotating broom 53 and drawn into the fan 56 will be delivered to the platform for discharge from the chute 50. The housing 54 in which the rotary broom 53' is mounted is supported by a link 60 connected to the wheel 61 suitably mounted upon the apparatus, so that when it is desired to pass an obstruction, or to store the apparatus, the housing 54 and the broom 53 may be swung in and behind the supporting frame 7, by the manual rotation of the wheel 61.

In the embodiments of my invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9, I have illustrated a snow removal apparatus, which is towed by a car 62, the snow removal apparatus in this instance being provided with the ordinary traction wheels 63 and 64, so that it may operate upon the road bed beside the rails 9. In this showing the snow is picked up by the plow 18 and passes to the conveyer 12 from where it is discharged to the apron 42 on to the transversely traveling conveyor 43, this latter conveyer discharging the snow on to the car 62. Simi- 'larly to the construction shown in Figs.

1, 2, 3, and 4, in the embodiment now being described, I provide a rotary broom 53, operating in a housing 54 communicating with a fan 56 having a discharge pipe 58 to deliver the snow swept up by the broom The fan 56 in this instance may be operated by a motor 65 geared thereto as herein shown, and the broom 53 and the conveyers 12 and 43 by the motors 66, 67 and 68, respectively. To facilitate traction and also to loosen the snow over which'the plow 18 passes, I provide a perpendicular broom 69 supported transversely of the forward truck 70, as shown.

As before stated, in connection with the embodiments of my invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the snow removal apparatus is towed by the car 62, for which purpose the latter is provided with the arms 71 and 72 projecting diagonally therefrom and terminating in the bracket 73, having an eye 74 formed thereon, to which the hook 75 is connected by. the link 76. The reference character 7 7 indicates an. electric cable carried by the car 62 and wound about a drum 78 carried by the supporting frame 11 of the snow removal apparatus, this cable being employed to convey power to the controlling means 79 of the apparatus. It will be observed that the apparatus is connected to the hook 75 supported from the car 62 by a tow line 80 wound about a drum 81 carried on the platform 82 andmanually controlled by any suitable means, such as indicated by 83. By this means, the relative positions of the receiving car 62 and the snow removal apparatus may be varied longitudinally, so that the full load of the snow discharged from the pipe 58 and conveyor 43, will be evenly distributed upon the car 62. The carrier car is designed to travel at a predetermined rate of speed and to tow the snow removal apparatus under certain designated conditions, which will render the operation of both most efficient, and if anything should arise to vary these predetermined conditions, which would impede the movement of the apparatus relatively to the towing car 62, the apparatus would be immediately uncoupled from the towing car by means of the breaking or opening of the link 76, between the bracket 73 and the hook 75, this link under ordinary conditions of use being sufficiently strong to permit of the taking up and unwinding of the tow line 83 through the medium of the controlling means 79.

In lieu of the fixed plow 18, shown in Figs. 8- and 9, I may if desired employ a modified construction, such as illustrated in Fig. 7, the plow share being indicated at 18 to the lower portion of which is attached the arm 18 provided with a rack 18, the teeth of the rack 18 being held in mesh with the pinion 18 by'means of the spring 18 so that upon the plow coming in contact with an obstruction, it would pivot at 18 motion thereby being imparted to the pinion 18, which meshing with the segment 18 will move the plow rearwardly and upwardly so that it will pass over the obstruction.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, which is particularly adapted to the purpose of steam railways, 115 the plow 18 is mounted similarly to that in the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9, as are the conveyers 12 and 43, and the apron 42 communicating therewith. The conveying apparatus and plow are preferably sup- 120 ported on a flat car, as shown, on the forward truck of which is mounted a broom. extending transversely of the car, this broom being similar to that shown in Fig. 9 and designated by reference character 69. The 125 conveyers 12 and 43 may be operated by an engine 84 connected by a piping'85 to the source of power 86, which, in the present instance, is locomotive; I 1

In all of the-=embodi1nentsofmy inven- 130 tion, herein: shown, I have" found; it desirableto journal theioperating; parts :in demountable bearingsso thatthe snow removal apparatus maybeureadily disassembled and stored during those seasons in whichthere is no; necessity for its employment. It will be obvious that by the use of my invention, snow removal will be greatly facilitated and that where. the. embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 is employed on a double track street line, the removal apparatus may operate on one track, while the carrier car travels on the adjoining track, the speed of the appara tus and car-beingso regulated that the snow being discharged from the chutex will be: distributed lon itudinallyon the car rying car to insure a full load. Many other advantagesofathe employment of my invention both: fromthe viewpoint of economy and efficiency, will bemanifest, particularly to those; interested; in snow removal. from street railway tracks located beneath elevated structures, where the supporting pillars'for the elevated structures are positioned quite close to the tracks on the streetsurface. Where, for instance, it is necessary to pass-a pillar, the plow 18, the conveyer 12 and broom housing 54 may be swung on theiri supports 9, 11 and 60, respectively, to -a positiomwhich will. enable-the apparatus to-pass the pillar Without any portion thereof coming in contact therewith. This is only one of the many advantages of the employment ofmy invention, under certain specific conditions such :as stated, the range of 11561 of my: invention. being practically unlimited without. departing fI'OlII. its basic principle.

Having thus described my inventionwhat I claim asnew herein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a snow removal apparatus, the combination of .conveyers traveling. longitudinallyand transversely thereof, a plow communicatingwith the longitudinally operating-conveyer, means for propellingsaidapparatus, said means comprising a vehicleopcrating. parallel to said. apparatus and forminga receiver forthe load ,.deli.vered. from the. apparatus; and: an, adjustable 1. towing connection: between. saidvehicle and said apparatus: whereby; theirelative-v positions: of said; vehicle and :fsaidz. apparatus; may. be varied; tojefl'ect an. equal distribution; of the load upons thegvehicle 2. In ajsno'w: removal apparatus, the/combination; :of conveyers traveling. longitudinally;andtransversely thereof, "a plow. com;- municating with: thex'longitudinally operating conveyer, means .for propelling ;saidi apltga'inrtus, ..=saidv means; comprising a vehicle operating .rparal-lel. to said; apparatus; and

forming; a. receivers for the; load delivered a. m h a new hicle,wherebythesnow delivered from said amadjustabl e towi g apparatus, and means embodiedzin .said ad.- justable; towingconnection to effect .the breaking; thereof under certain predetermined conditions, whereby the relative positions of said vehicle and said apparatus may be varied to effect an equal distribution of the load. upon, the vehicle.

3. In a snow removal apparatus, the combination of conveyers traveling. longitudinallyand transversely thereof, a plow communicating withthe longitudinally operating conveyer, means for automatically op erating said plow to raise the same. out of functioning.position when coming in. contact "With a solid; obstacle in. its normal "path of movement, and means for prop'ellingsaid apparatus, said means, comprising a vehicle operating parallel thereto and forming areceiver for the loaddeliveredfromthe apparatus, and an adjustable towing connection between said vehicle and said "apparatus, whereby the relative positions of saidvehicle and said apparatus may be .changedto effect an equal distribution of the load'upon the vehicle.

4:. In a snow removal apparatus, the-combination of conveyers traveling longitudinally and transversely thereof, a plow communicating with the longitudinally operated conveyer, means for maintaining said plow in functioning position against ,a yielding element, said means being capable, of :automatically operating to raise said plow out of functioning'position upon said plow coming contact with a solid obstacle inits path" of movement, means for propelling said apparatus, saidmeans comprising 'a vehicle operating parallel to said apparatus and forming a receiver for the. load delivered from the apparatus,-and means for changing the-relative positionsof said vehicle and apparatus, whereby the load may be equally distributed. upon the vehicle. I .I

5. The combination with a snow removal apparatus of: a vehicle operating parallel to said; apparatus and. forming a receiver for the:- snow removed-jbysaid apparatus, and meansgfor: changing the relativepositions of theremoval apparatusand the receiving'veremoval apparatus will be: equally distributed. on ,thereceiving vehicle.

6, combination with a snow removal apparatus of a vehicle adapted toreceive the snow removed by said apparatus, means ofoonnecti onbetween said apparatusand said receiving. vehicle, .whereby said apparatus may; betowedby: said vehicle in a line-par:- allel thereto, means for discharging thesnow removed by. said. apparatus into the receiv; ing-vehicle, andmelansfor changing the; relay tive positi-ons ofr said. receiving 1 vehicle. and said apparatus to effect. an equal distribution .qfatbeloaaeupomthemanner:

bination of a self-propelled vehicle and a tions of said vehicles whereby the snow devehicle adapted to be towed thereby, means livered to said vehicle may be equally discarried by the latter vehicle to remove the tributed thereon.

snow from the road bed, means for deliver- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 10 ing the snow removed to the towing vehicle, my hand this 1st day of April, 1915.

and means for changing the relative posi- DOUGLAS K. WARNER. 

